Thermal Sight Overlay With Dual-Field IR Image Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical sighting apparatus struggle with aligning thermal and visible image content, requiring device swapping and mental coordination, and fail to provide high-resolution thermal imaging that corresponds to the visible field, especially at varying magnifications.
Innovation Solution
A thermal image-forming attachment for sighting apparatus that overlays thermal images onto the visible scene using a combiner, aligned with the optical axis, and includes two IR cameras with different fields of view, processed to generate a composite image visible over the full field of view without digital fusion, using collimating optics to maintain alignment at varying magnifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate packaging is provided for visible light optics or IR processed image content, then specialized processing support is provided, but device swapping is required which increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines visible light optics and IR processed image content into a single integrated device. The optical system includes both visible light objective lenses and IR objective lenses, allowing the device to provide both specialized processing support and eliminate the need for device swapping by presenting both imaging modes simultaneously through a unified optical platform.
2Measurement precision
If thermal image content is provided with high magnification, then resolution is improved, but alignment with visible field becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a beam splitter to create a spatial separation between visible light and IR thermal image paths, allowing both images to be displayed simultaneously in different dimensional spaces. This enables high-resolution thermal imaging to be overlaid with the visible field view, maintaining alignment through the beam splitter's precise optical geometry while preserving the resolution benefits of dedicated IR imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests the IR thermal image display within the visible light optical system by using a beam splitter that allows the IR image to be superimposed on the visible field view. This nested arrangement enables the thermal image to be contained within the overall optical system while maintaining its own independent high-resolution imaging capability, and ensures alignment through the shared optical axis.
3Adaptability or versatility
If variable magnification is provided, then adaptability is improved, but thermal image visibility must accurately correspond to visible field which increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements variable magnification capability in the optical system while maintaining thermal image alignment through dynamic control of the beam splitter and image processing components. The system can adjust magnification levels and automatically coordinate the thermal and visible field views, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from maintaining alignment across variable zoom ranges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-resolution thermal imaging centered on the visible field, allowing continuous visibility without device swapping, and maintains awareness of peripheral thermal objects, enhancing target identification in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a combiner configured for overlaying a generated thermal image from a display against a visible scene
Implementation Method 2
a combiner configured for overlaying a generated thermal image from a display against a visible scene
Implementation Method 3
collimating optics configured to project the thermal image from the display toward the combiner as collimated light aligned with collimated light from the visible scene
Implementation Method 4
a first IR camera having a first field of view that is configured for alignment with the sighting apparatus optical axis
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal image-forming attachment for a sighting apparatus has a combiner for overlaying a generated thermal image from a display against a visible scene defined along an optical axis of the sighting apparatus, wherein the combiner intersects the optical axis between an objective lens and the visible scene. A first IR camera has a first field of view aligned with the sighting apparatus optical axis; a second IR camera has a second field of view narrower than the first field of view, aligned with the sighting apparatus optical axis. An image processor generates the thermal image on the display, wherein IR image content rendered from the second IR camera is centered within IR image content from the first IR camera. Collimating optics project the thermal image from the display toward the combiner as collimated light aligned with collimated light from the visible scene.